Fifteen minutes later I was enveloped in a backwards hug from Scott closely followed by Virgil and Gordon. I sighed as I turned around to hug them properly. I should have known Scott would tell the others I was scared. Typical protective brothers. I stepped out of the hug and prepared myself for the millions of questions and assurances that my brothers were about to tell me. Luckily for me, at that moment I heard Alan yell,
'Dad!' and that gave me the perfect excuse to run out of the room to find my brother. I managed to give him a quick hug before Scott, Virgil and Gordon descended on the Sprout. I could hear Alan quizzing Dad on the mission and smiled. It's Alan's dream to become a Thunderbird and he watches every single mission on television whilst he's away at Wharton's. A bit like me I suppose – although I only watch to make sure that my family are ok.
As we sat at the table I listened as my brothers discussed previous missions and I couldn't help but join in. I did notice that Alan sat in silence, obviously listening to the conversation and realised how much this would hurt him. I immediately stopped talking, not that my brothers noticed, and made a mental note to try and include Alan in some of the Thunderbirds conversation so he at least felt included. I hated it when my brothers were upset. I sighed as Alan suddenly stood up and walked away from the table. My brother's faces were identical masks of shock – Alan never leaves the table without finishing a meal. I sighed at their ignorance. I loved my brothers to death but sometimes I wish they could see how much Alan is hurting. Seriously, if I thought knocking their heads together would help I'd do it without a second thought!
A while later I was playing an adapted version of volleyball in the pool with Gordon whilst Scott and Virgil sat on the sun loungers around the side refereeing. Well, not so much refereeing – more like shouting insults to Gordon. I was just about to serve when a high pitched alarm sounded around the villa. I jumped a mile in the air and let out a small shriek. That was enough for Gordon to dive under the net and wrap a comforting arm around me.
'Don't worry Abs, it's just the alarm from Thunderbird 1. I bet Alan's gone down there and pressed a couple of buttons. It's ok, nothings gonna happen.' He soothed. Scott had run off down to the silos to check on his bird and Virgil was crouching at the side of the pool, looking at me worriedly. I nodded and tried to calm myself down. I was just being stupid. I knew what the alarm calling my brothers away sounded like. I heard it often enough. Don't be such a baby Abigail. I told myself sharply before looking at Gordon and giving him a shaky smile.
'Come on bro – I haven't finishing whooping your butt yet.' He grinned back at me.
'Don't be so sure little sister,' he said evilly before diving back under the net. By the time Scott came back the game had ended and I was swimming frantically away from Gordon after beating him. He really is a terrible looser.
'Scott! Help!' I yell as Gordon suddenly grabs my legs and pulls me back. He smiles at me and shakes his head. Five minutes later I climb out of the pool and hit him upside the head.
'Ow! What was that for?' He asks as he holds the back of his head.
'Call yourself a Thunderbird. I needed your help and you left me at the mercy of Gordon!' I reply trying to keep the smile out of my voice. He grins back at me and I sit down next to Virgil and watch as Gordon does laps up the pool. It's easy to see how he won gold at the Olympics.
'Why did the alarm go off?' I ask Scott. He rolls his eyes before replying.
'Alan decided to try out Thunderbird 1 without permission and forgot to put up the anti-detection shields. That's what set the alarm off. Dad really wasn't happy.' I shudder at the thought.
'I bet he wasn't' I mumble quietly, looking back at the pool and focusing on Gordon. Alan was probably up in his room sulking and Dad would be in his office sulking. Honestly, it was always the same. Alan would come home from school and by the end of the first day he was usually in trouble with Dad. Then we had to put up with both Alan and Dad hardly talking to each other and acting like five year olds. I wanted to go and talk to them but I knew from experience that after they'd had a fight it was best just to leave them to it and let them calm down themselves. I sighed. Just once I wished Alan would come home with decent grades and not try and use the Thunderbirds without permission. Just once I wanted a peaceful holiday. Well, as peaceful as it gets in the Tracy household anyway. No arguments. No awkward silences. All of us just getting along. Oh well, there's always next time…
The next day was just as I'd predicted. Awkward. Alan didn't come down for breakfast and Onaha told us that he'd come down earlier. Great, so he was avoiding us. Dad tried to act like nothing had happened but when Virgil told him that Alan had gotten up earlier to have breakfast without us his face clouded. He wouldn't tell us what had happened between him and Alan yesterday but we all knew it was bad if Alan had chosen to get up earlier just so he didn't have to see us.
After breakfast, Dad went back to the office to 'catch up on some paperwork.' In reality, he was distracting himself from the argument with his youngest son yesterday and the questions his other children were plaguing him with today. It's always the same. Scott started looking at news report of the mission yesterday, Gordon sat and talked to Onaha and I sat at the piano with Virgil and watched him play. No one knew where Alan had gone. Suddenly, another alarm sounded. I knew what this alarm meant. My brothers were needed again. We all took off running to the Command and Control Centre. Brains was already there with my Dad and they looked up from the computer screen as we came in.
'What's going on?' Virgil asked.
'Thunderbird 5, major damage sustained…' Brains replied. I blanked out after that. There was only one thought pounding through my mind. John. Without thinking, I turned to look at my dad and quietly said,
'I'm coming with you.'
So, this chapter is a lot longer than the first one. I hope you guys are enjoying it so far and that it makes sense! Constructive reviews are always welcome! More to come soon love mysweetcupcake xx
